Last update - 00:00 04/09/2007
Court decides to extend remand for suspect in Heftsiba affair
By Roni Singer-Heruti, Haaretz Correspondent
A Tel Aviv court on Tuesday extended the remand of businessman Yaniv Ben David by four days after a request was issued by officers from the Police National Fraud Investigative Unit and national tax fraud authorities.
Ben David was arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes, falsifying documents, laundering funds, and of committing tax violations.
The arrest came on Tuesday as part of ongoing proceedings against the defunct construction company Heftsiba, which collapsed recently leaving hundreds of investors with heavy losses.
Police investigations and a raid of Heftsiba offices raised suspicion that the construction firm funneled millions of shekels to Ben David through a company he runs. The raids also turned up receipts that appeared to be falsified, in sums totaling tens of millions of shekels.
Ben David reportedly has not cooperated with investigators and has exercised his right not to incriminate himself.
According to the remand extension request, Ben David refused to explain the financial irregularities involving accounts under his control, and did not detail the extent of his business involvement with Boaz Yona, former executive of Heftsiba awaiting extradition to Israel from Italy.